To Sherlock, with Love
by Naughty Captain Crieff
Summary: Irene's texts to Sherlock after her final goodbye, and his occasional text back. Not Sherlock/ Irene in the sexual/ romantic sense but some kind of caring/ love. Whatever it is that love means to Sherlock Holmes. Mildly implied Sherlock/ John by Irene.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Irene's texts to Sherlock after her final Goodbye, and his occasional text back. Not Sherlock/ Irene in the sexual/ romantic sense but some kind of caring/ love. Whatever it is that love means to Sherlock Holmes. Not much detail but almost everything in this has a double meaning, so that's something. Very mild implied John/ Sherlock by Irene.

The dates are made up. The end it set after Reichenbach. Obviously we haven't seen it yet so I am just going by cannon, I might change it after. Also cannon: The Sign of Four and The Valley of Fear are two insinuated to.

**The bolded parts are texts, Sherlock's texts have – SH. **_The italicised parts are Irene's thoughts. _Texts are separated by months but weeks and days are separated by a line (it's up to you to decide how long I suppose).

* * *

><p><span>March<span>

**Goodbye, Mr Holmes.**

* * *

><p><span>May<span>

_Two months since he saved her life. _

**Has Mycroft told you I'm dead yet?**

**He told John - SH**  
><em>Her heart almost stalls. First contact in months.<em>

**And John lied to you, didn't he? The truth is important to him. He must care about you a lot to lie.**  
><em>She thinks about their relationship a lot and how it is less than romantic but more than platonic. She thinks about how there was one time when she wanted Sherlock's heart and how she never could have taken it. Because John Watson was that heart. <em>

* * *

><p><strong>I'm settling in nicely. Thanks for all your help. Maybe you can come for dinner?<strong>

_It was worth a shot. He doesn't reply, as expected._

* * *

><p><span>June<span>

**John's posted another case on his blog. Brilliant as usual. You were good too.**  
><em>She teases. No reply.<em>

* * *

><p><strong>It's been three months. I'm starving. Why don't you come for dinner?<strong>

_Back to flirting. She misses him, just a bit._

* * *

><p><strong>There you are in your funny hat again.<strong>

**I think it looks quite sexy. I see why people like it.**

**You should wear it to dinner.**

* * *

><p><strong>I found a brilliant case for you to solve in Buenos Aires. I could fly over and help you. I'll send you the details now.<strong>

**Oh please. - SH**  
><em>She could practically hear the disdain at such a simple case being served to him. She knows it is. She had just hoped he would pretend.<em>

* * *

><p><span>July<span>

**It's my Birthday.**  
><em>She's at her party, surrounded by people, and she's lonely and a year closer to death. She hopes he replies<em>.

**Happy Birthday - SH**

**Thank you, dinner?**  
><em>No reply. She cries though not for Sherlock Holmes.<em>

* * *

><p><strong>I miss your mind sometimes. No one out here is clever enough. Where's the fun?<strong>

_It's the most honest she has ever been with him, and it is still masked behind a layer of flirtation._

* * *

><p><strong>The East India Company? Their main offices are very close to me, you should have asked for <strong>**my help. It sounded like a good case. I'd have loved to see that look of concentration you put on when you 'deduce'.**

_She fancies that he won't appreciate the way she place inverted commas around deduce and his irritation makes her grin like the Cheshire cat. _

* * *

><p><strong>Mr. Holmes?<strong>

_No reply._

* * *

><p><span>August<span>

**Yes? - SH**  
><em>She grins.<em>  
><strong><br>You replied. You must have been worried.  
><strong>_It has been almost a month._

**You hadn't bothered me for nearly a month. What do you want? - SH**  
><em>He hides his concern with scorn in the same way she hides her despondency through flirting.<em>

**Dinner?**  
><em>No reply. She usually feels a little disappointed when he doesn't, even though she has come to expect it. But this time it makes her laugh.<em>

* * *

><p><strong>"The Hounds of Baskerville". That has to be my favourite since my own story. Dr. Watson does like to dramatize things though.<strong>

_She quite likes John. She thinks that Sherlock Holmes could not have a better friend. Or for that matter any other friend at all; he is not an easy man to get along with. Even she doesn't want to be his friend. _

**He prides himself on it - SH**  
><strong><br>I take it you don't?**

**No - SH**

* * *

><p><span>September<span>

**I defy you to not be interested in this case. It is utterly fascinating, I cannot figure it out. I'll send you the information.**  
><em>She lies. It <em>_**was**__ fascinating, but she already knew every detail._  
><strong><br>It's in Dhaka. Just one country to my right. Will you take it?**

_She is not going to let this one go._

**OK – SH**

**I'll see you in three days.**

* * *

><p><em>He turns up in two.<em>

* * *

><p><strong>That took you 2 hours longer than I thought it would. You're getting slow.<strong>

_She expects he is telling himself that he is annoyed at her for tricking him. But she knows that he is more annoyed at himself for falling for it._

* * *

><p><strong>I only did it so you would come to dinner. You left before I had a chance ask. Maybe next time.<strong>

**You stole government, possibly world ending, secrets just to get me to come to dinner? –SH**

_She may be wrong, but she thinks he sounds impressed._

**At least I didn't kill anyone.**

**Maybe next time. – SH**

* * *

><p><span>October<span>

"**World political disaster prevented by Sherlock Holmes." They're really putting you on a pedestal. As if I would have let it get that far. **

**I wouldn't put it past you – SH**

**Don't confuse me for Moriarty. **

_He's struck a nerve. It was true that she manipulated and schemed and lied for a living but she wanted to believe that she had some good, somewhere. She was worried that she didn't._

* * *

><p><strong>John just posted your last case. I used to know what a man from Vermissa Valley liked. You did well, but Douglas still died. Be careful, Sherlock. He's getting too close.<strong>

_She thinks she is scared for him. Moriarty is the most dangerous man in the world. _

**I know. – SH**

_She doesn't think he does know._

* * *

><p><span>After The Fall<span>

**I know you're alive.**  
><em>It was in every British paper. The great Sherlock Holmes: dead. He had taken Moriarty with him. A small consolation. It was bitter sweet. When she first found out, the air was almost knocked from her lungs as if she were falling with him. She feels worse for John than herself.<em>

**I read John's blog. The best and wisest man he has ever known. He's heartbroken. **

_She thinks she might be heartbroken too. Because she doesn't know he is alive at all. But she was just The Woman while John was his heart._

**I could practically hear you scoff. You don't have to be intimate to care about someone.**

_She almost puts love instead of care, but decides against it. Sherlock once said that love was not a foreign concept to him, but he was wrong. Because he loved someone and he didn't even realise it. Poor Dr. Watson, she thinks._

* * *

><p><span>Weeks later.<span>

_The time at which she contacts him has become meaningless to her._

**I know you're alive.**

_She feels empty when she texts his number now, knowing that it may be a futile task_

* * *

><p><strong>I've thought about looking for you.<strong>

_No reply. Never a reply. She's scared he'll never reply again._

* * *

><p><span>Months<span>

**I went to London and visited your grave. John still lives at 221b. But you know that, of course.**

_Poor Dr. Watson, she thinks._

* * *

><p><strong>I think I know how you did it. Fooled everyone, I mean.<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Happy Birthday.<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>I miss you.<strong>

_He's been officially dead for half a year now. She has tried to find him. John Watson has too, she knows. Neither have let go but neither have found success._

* * *

><p><strong>You have to tell him you're alive. If you won't tell me, you have to tell him.<strong>

* * *

><p><em>Her texts are becoming more and more intermittent. Every text she sends to a dead man makes her feel a little weaker. And she hates weakness. That's why she knows- she knows that this text will be her last. She better make it count.<em>

**Please.**

* * *

><p><strong>Dinner? - SH<strong>


	2. Alternate Ending

**A/N: First of all, thanks for all the wonderful reviews! **

**This chapter is just an alternate ending (because I didn't want to get rid of the other one) which takes into account The Reichenbach Fall, now that we've seen it (CREYS). Lots of new stuff but some of the stuff from the last chapter too. Starting from just after Sherlock gets back from Irene's little scheme.**

**Alternate Ending.**

* * *

><p><span>October<span>

**Well done on rescuing the Reichenbach painting. I saw you in the papers. Did they give you anything nice, as a thank you?**

**Diamond cufflinks - SH**

**All of your suits have buttons.**

_She waits a few moments before deciding to elaborate._

**I went through your wardrobe when I returned your coat.**

**I figured as much. - SH**

_She likes the idea that she can make him feel uncomfortable when no one else can._

* * *

><p><strong>I would love to have dinner with a celebrity.<strong>

**Then why are you asking me? - SH**

**You are positively famous now Mr. Holmes! Rescuing politicians and catching Most Wanted criminals. I'm jealous. **

_Sherlock Holmes is in every paper now. The boffin detective is front page news. She would never tell him, but it makes her feel nervous. He is getting too big, too loud and the mindless masses don't like that. How soon before they turn on him? But she would never tell him that. Never show concern and make him think she is weak. So she does what she always does and continues flirting. _

**Especially of your funny hat. **

_She hates that hat._

* * *

><p><strong>"Get Sherlock." I feel like you should be worried. When's his trial?<strong>

_When she read the news she almost chocked. Jim Moriarty had simultaneously broken into three of Britain's most protected facilities. This isn't what surprises her. He is deviously smart. Smarter than her, she can admit. What surprises her is that he has allowed himself to be caught. She has been trapped in Jim Moriarty's web before and had barely made it out alive. But he has exposed himself to the public for Sherlock Holmes. The danger of this game has increased tenfold._

**Not for a week - SH**

**And you're the expert witness? Try not to be too much of a show off. **

**Who, me? - SH**

_It should make her smile, but she thinks she might be too scared for him to try._

* * *

><p><strong>So have they turned on you yet?<strong>

**Not a good time, Irene. - SH**

**That's a yes then.**

* * *

><p><strong>I used to know a German man. Well, I used to know what he liked. And my German is a bit rusty but I believe that Rich Brook translates to Reichenbach.<strong>

_She can only set her phone down with shaking hands and wait._

* * *

><p><strong>Sherlock, don't.<strong>

_She drops all pretences and masks with those two simple words. She doesn't care if he thinks her sentimental because this was more important than her pride. She knows what he is going to do. It was the only way to beat Moriarty. He was going to die. _

**Goodbye, Miss Adler. **

_She cries and this time it is for Sherlock Holmes. _

_The news of his death doesn't become public until hours later, but by then she has already spent all of her tears._

* * *

><p><span>After The Fall<span>

**I know you're alive.**  
><em>It was in every British paper. Sherlock Holmes: Dead. But he had died a fraud, a liar, a <em>_**murderer. **__They said he killed poor Richard Brook before throwing himself from Bart's hospital in a fit of guilt. So he had taken Moriarty with him. A small, bitter sweet consolation. When she first found out, the air was almost knocked from her lungs as if she were falling with him. She feels worse for John than herself._

**I read John's blog. "He was my best friend and I'll always believe in him." He's heartbroken.**

_She thinks she might be heartbroken too. Because she doesn't know he is alive at all. But she was just The Woman, while John was his heart._

**I could practically hear you scoff. You don't have to be intimate to care about someone.**

_She almost puts love instead of care, but decides against it. Sherlock once said that love was not a foreign concept to him, but he was wrong. Because he loved someone and he didn't even realise it. Poor Dr. Watson, she thinks._

* * *

><p><em><strong>[<strong>__To John Watson with Sympathy_

_She knows that the good Doctor hadn't liked her much. She was a hard woman to get along with. But days after the detective's death, she had to let him know, in however a cryptic a way, that he wasn't alone. _

_**My condolences, Dr. Watson. **_

_**Who is this? The number is blocked – JW**_

_**It doesn't matter. You and I shared a mutual friend. **_

_**I really am sorry. It isn't fair.**_

_**I know – JW**_

_They never text again._** ]**

* * *

><p><span>Weeks Later<span>

_The__ time at which she contacts him has become meaningless to her._

**I know you're alive.**

_She feels empty when she texts his number now, knowing that it may be a futile task._

* * *

><p><strong>I've thought about looking for you.<strong>

_No reply. Never a reply. She's scared he'll never reply again._

* * *

><p><strong>People are getting smarter, starting to see the truth about Moriarty.<strong>

* * *

><p><span>Months Later<span>

**I'm thinking about visiting London.**

* * *

><p><strong>I'm in London. "I believe in Sherlock Holmes." It's everywhere. Graffiti for you on every building. People miss you.<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>I visited your grave today.<strong>

_Someone had gone out of their way to hide the location of the late detective's resting place from the_ _public- she guessed the eldest and only remaining Holmes brother- so she had had to follow John from his new apartment. He looked older. He looked half dead. And despite herself, she felt her heart break for him. So she decides to stay another day, to watch him and maybe help with bills and finding a new job. But a day turns into a week and a week into a month until she has to leave because she cannot stand to see John Watson and his empty eyes and his barely surviving any longer._

* * *

><p><strong>He's relying on his cane again. I think you've broken him.<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>I think I know how you did it. Fooled everyone, I mean. Molly Hooper?<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Happy Birthday.<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>You have to tell him you're alive. If you won't tell me, you have to tell him.<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>I miss you.<strong>

_He's been officially dead for half a year now. She has tried to find him. John Watson has too, she knows. Neither have let go but neither have found success._

* * *

><p><em>Her texts are becoming more and more intermittent. Every text she sends to a dead man makes her feel a little weaker. And she hates weakness. That's why she knows- she knows that this text will be her last. She better make it count.<em>

**Please.**

* * *

><p><strong>Dinner? - SH<strong>


End file.
